The Snow Moon rose on Feb. 12, 2025, marking the end of Chinese New Year and setting up both the beginning of Ramadan and a total lunar eclipse for North America.

The second full moon of 2024, the Snow Moon of February, wowed skywatchers around the world with a dazzling display last night. February's full moon rose on Wednesday (Feb. 12) and remained high in the sky for most of the night before finally setting with the morning sun.

The full moon in February was dubbed the snow moon due to the heavy snowfall typically seen this time of year, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac, which first began publishing names for full moons in the 1930s.

A full moon happens when the moon is directly opposite the sun from our perspective on Earth, fully illuminated by sunlight. While most full moons are completely lit up, sometimes

The second full moon of the year − appropriately called the snow moon − will reach its peak Wednesday evening.

There will also be two total lunar eclipses that occur during the March and September full moon events. A lunar eclipse, which causes the moon to look dark or dimmed, occurs when Earth is between the sun and moon and the three celestial objects line up in a row so that the moon passes into our planet’s shadow.

The full “snow moon” was captured setting behind a church steeple in picturesque Portsmouth, New Hampshire, on February 12. The full moon in February has been dubbed the snow moon due to the heavy snowfall typically seen this time of year,